Indonesian Foreign Ministry: Two flights from Indonesia affected by UAE drone incident
Jakarta — Two flights from Indonesia have been affected by the closure of airspace in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following an incident in which drone debris fell across several areas of the country, according to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry (Kemlu RI).
Heni Hamidah, Acting Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection at Kemlu RI, stated that Indonesia’s representative in the UAE reported drone debris falling in the Dubai region on Monday, 16 March.
The debris was found at several locations, including near Dubai International Airport. The incident caused a fire and temporarily halted airport operations.
“Regarding Indonesian nationals, two Emirates airline flights from Indonesia bound for Dubai were affected by landing diversions,” Heni said in a written statement received on Tuesday.
One flight was Emirates EK-359 from Jakarta, carrying an estimated 309 passengers, which was diverted to Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi.
The other flight was Emirates EK-399 from Denpasar, carrying an estimated 300 passengers, which landed at Al-Maktoum International Airport in Dubai.
“To date, there have been no reports of Indonesian nationals being victims or requesting assistance in connection with the incident,” Heni stated.
She assured that Indonesia’s representatives in the UAE continue to monitor the situation and are coordinating with local authorities and airlines to ensure the safety and smooth travel of Indonesian nationals.
The incident involving drone debris was also reported to have occurred in Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, Heni noted.
The UAE’s civil aviation authority, GCAA, announced on Monday the suspension of flights at Dubai International Airport as a precautionary measure.
This step was taken after a fuel tank near the airport caught fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a drone attack. There were no casualties in the incident.
The WAM news agency reported on Tuesday that GCAA has reopened UAE airspace after the situation was assessed to have improved.